Why must x^2+x+1 be a factor of x^5+x^4+x^3+x^2+x+1 ?

plophatlavlh

plophatlavlh

Answered question

2022-03-08

Why must x2+x+1 be a factor of x5+x4+x3+x2+x+1 ?

Answer & Explanation

hinonacfp

hinonacfp

Beginner2022-03-09Added 1 answers

It depends on what you count as telling. It follows from an easy, basic manipulation of familiar identities, but I don’t see any way to recognize this without appealing to something at least somewhat computational. I look at the sum x5+x4+x3+x2+x+1 and immediately think of x61, and from there it all falls out:
x5+x4+x3+x2+x+1=x61x1
=(x3)21x1
=(x31)(x3+1)x1
=(x3+1)x31x1
=(x3+1)(x2+x+1)
all using standard factorizations.

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